


"Feeling Paternal, Will?"

by VagueOmen



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Angst, Cuddling & Snuggling, Dark Will Graham, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Grief/Mourning, Hannibal Lecter Loves Will Graham, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Murder Husbands, Post-Canon, Post-Episode: s03e13 The Wrath of the Lamb, Post-Fall (Hannibal), Will Graham Loves Hannibal Lecter, but on god there is comfort, i think it qualifies a little bit as fluff? idk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-11
Updated: 2020-11-11
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:41:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27503221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VagueOmen/pseuds/VagueOmen
Summary: Will continues to grieve for Abigail post-canon, and he finally seeks out his husband for comfort."Will wiped some tears off of his neck and face. He shook his head. “I just wanted you and her. I almost had it. All I want is you and Abigail.”Hannibal knew that Will loved him, after all they were married. But hearing him say that he wanted him made his heart glow. He took his husband’s hand in his. “I know.” he paused. “You have me, Will.” he said."
Relationships: Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter
Comments: 6
Kudos: 70





	"Feeling Paternal, Will?"

**Author's Note:**

> This is actually my first published fic! I hope you enjoy it

Will looked around the living room of the house. The dogs were sleeping in their beds (which Hannibal reluctantly let him put in the main room), and his husband was in his study drawing scenes from wherever it was they had last encountered a rude and edible person. Will saw that he had no one to spend time with tonight. He lived alone before for so long that it didn’t feel so unusual.

He sat on the couch and turned on the television. Maybe he could find a movie thriller to tell Dr. Lecter about later and make fun of together. He used the remote to click the screen on. The news must have been the last thing on. A bleached blonde woman in a blue dress spoke the headline the read on screen. “A local 17 year old girl has recently gone missing in a suspected murder case”.

Will felt his throat close. He knew it had nothing to do with the doctor and himself, but it was much too close to something he did his best to never think about. Abigail Hobbs was gone from him. He couldn’t do anything to change that. 

“Police told reporters that local teen was last seen on Thursday night at her school after-”

Will turned it off before he could hear anything else. He thought if he waited a few minutes it would be on a new story. Then he could find something else to watch without being so haunted by the memory of Abigail. 

He sat there staring at the ground and rotating his wedding ring around his finger, a nervous habit. They wore rings despite the fact that they couldn’t be legally married. Legally they were dead.

Tonight it was harder to get her off of his mind. He allowed himself to sit and stew over her while he waited. Hannibal wouldn’t catch him doing so. He sits in his study for hours when he’s working on a drawing.

Will felt so regretful and hollow. He didn’t feel angry towards the other man for it anymore. He forgave him so long ago. He understood. She was going to be his surprise. A whole new life with her and Hannibal, a gift for him. It was Will that didn’t accept it. Him who ruined the gift, not Hannibal. He couldn’t stand to think that he took Abigail away from himself- which is why he usually didn’t think of her at all. At least he tried not to. Tonight was harder. He had already had several reminders of her today. 

Every teenage girl he saw walking the streets on their trips into town gave him a small pang of loss in his heart. He felt weird and tried not to stare. It hurt most to see them with their mother’s and father’s. Seeing them and their father’s laugh or walk hand in hand- it made Will want to cry every time. But he never does. He thinks of something else before Hannibal could notice anything was amiss. 

Earlier in the day Will had offered to help Hannibal shop (to keep him company). One of their newer dogs, Trout, still has abandonment anxiety and goes with them anytime they both go out. While Hannibal stopped in a butcher shop, Will waited outside with Trout. A brunette girl around Abigail's age and her less familiar looking friend stopped and excitedly asked if they could pet Trout. He let them and answered a few questions about her age, name, breed, etc. They were only there for a few moments but it made an impression on Will. He made sure not to tell Hannibal about it when he got out of the shop. 

Will wished more than anything that the girl was Abigail. He wished that Abigail was still his daughter, his child to raise. She was one of his biggest wounds. The only wound Will wouldn’t share with Dr. Lecter. He knew that his husband must know that it had hurt him, but he’s never been the one to bring her up in conversation. Whenever Hannibal does bring her up Will can feel himself being so watched and studied, so he tries to change the subject. Hannibal doesn’t push it. 

He had been thinking about her all day. At dinner, he almost set three plates on the table. He caught himself before he did. The news channel felt like the final blow in Will’s battle to suppress the newest wave of grief for his daughter. Will felt hot tears roll down his face. He opened his mouth and let out a shaky breath. He put his face into his hands. 

When he looked up he saw her standing there in front of the screen. Her neck was covered in blood and her throat had a large gash. Her face was pale and blank. He couldn’t do this anymore. 

As if on autopilot he shot up off the chair and walked out of the room and down the hall. He stopped outside of the study doors coming out of his slight panic. He realized he didn’t just leave the sight of Abigail but also sought out his husband. Will figured it might be time to tell him.

He approached the open door to the study. “Dr. Lecter.” he said.

“Ah! Will. Hello.” he replied. He put his materials down slowly, making sure everything was in it’s proper and organized place. He then walked over to the leather couch that was forbidden to the dogs. “Come sit with me, beloved.”

Will did. He sat close to his husband, but not quite touching. He was scared to break his silence on the subject, but he needed him to know now. Besides, he’d seen that he’s crying now and it’s too late to back out of that. 

“What’s wrong?” Hannibal asked, face soft and inquisitive. 

Will looked at the floor. “I can’t stop thinking about children. Uh,”

Hannibal immediately could tell what this was about. 

“I can’t stop thinking about Abigail. I almost set a plate for her today. I can’t stop seeing her.” he admitted.

“I heard the television earlier. I suspect that didn’t help.”

“Oh. Uh yeah. It didn’t”. Will looked up and blinked at his husband. His mouth opened several times before he could find the words he was trying to say next. “Is it bad that when I see her I try to ignore it?”

“Will, did you ignore Garret Jacob Hobbs when you saw him?”

“Yes. Mostly, yes.”

“It is not wrong then. You are simply avoiding the memory of a death of which you have seen. To most that is an unpleasant experience that they do not wish to revisit. You are no different.”

“But I’ve seen other people die, people I’ve killed. Other people you’ve killed.”

“Abigail was your daughter. And Garret Jacob Hobbs was your first.” Hannibal said, calm and rational.

Will wiped some tears off of his neck and face. He shook his head. “I just wanted you and her. I almost had it. All I want is you and Abigail.”

Hannibal knew that Will loved him, after all they were married. But hearing him say that he wanted him made his heart glow. He took his husband’s hand in his. “I know.” he paused. “You have me, Will.” he said.

Will clambered up into Hannibal’s lap, bringing their two hands up to his own chest. He let out another shaky breath when Hannibal brought his other arm around him. He lay on him and listened to the doctor's heartbeat. He knew he would get the other’s nice shirt wet, but he didn’t care. He has so many. 

Hannibal kissed the top of his head.

“I miss her.” 

“I know.” Hannibal had nothing else to say to Will. After the first few moments the cries of his husband grew louder. He felt Will’s small sobs hit his chest. It pained him to know that his husband had been keeping this to himself for all those years they were apart. 

Through cries and broken speech Will eventually said “I see her when I’m alone. I see her with her throat-”. He couldn’t finish the sentence. He sobbed into Hannibal's chest. 

“Do you see her when you’re with me?” He asked.

“N-No, just when I’m alone.” he struggled to reply.

“Then you will come to me when you see her. Always. Regardless of time or activity.” Hannibal wasn’t really asking or suggesting. He was telling him.

Will just nodded against Hannibal.

“Good. I want to take care of you, Will.”

Will took in a big breath and tried to calm himself. He pressed their clasped hands closer into his chest. He felt Hannibal rub his thumb over his own. After another few minutes, he had managed to stop crying as hard. 

Hannibal hummed a tune Will didn’t recognize. 

It made Will feel like he was home. It made him feel safe and tired. He wanted to get up and go to bed, but he didn’t want to let go of Hannibal. In a compromise, he wrapped a second arm around him and pulled them up into a sitting position. 

Hannibal carried on holding Will and humming into his curls. 

Will sighed with deep content. He wanted to go to sleep but felt he had one last confession to make. An apology, really. “I’m sorry that I ruined our chance with her.”

Hannibal stopped his melody in an instant. 

Will looked up confused at the sudden silence.

Hannibal pulled himself away to look at the other. “Will,” he began, “do you blame yourself for Abigail's death?”

Will looked up, a confused expression on his still wet face. “I-” he started, “I chose to stay. I didn’t accept your gift. I didn’t leave with you. With both of you. I-” he said, a new wave of tears spilling over. 

“You are not the one that killed her, Will.” Hannibal interrupted. 

“What? I- what are you trying to say?” Will asked, his brows furrowed.

“I wish every day that we could have her. It is one of my only regrets Will. I regret even more than I took her from you, too.”

Will looked at Hannibal, who wouldn’t meet his eyes. He had started crying also. Just a few tears ran down from his eyes. He was silent and looked like he was trying to stop without making any movement that would indicate that he admitted to crying. “Hannibal.” Will said quietly. 

He looked up to meet Will’s gaze. His soft and concerned expression broke him down. Only Will was ever able to do such a thing to him. His head fell onto Will’s, foreheads pressed together. He grabbed his husband’s hands into his lap. “Will, I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.” he confessed, shaking his head slightly. 

Will freed one of his hands and put it on his face, wiping away whatever tears he could. “I forgive you. It’s what had to happen. I know why you did it.” he said. 

“Will I’m sorry-” he breathed out.

“No, Hannibal. Shh.” Will whispered, rubbing his thumb across Hannibal’s face in an attempt to comfort him. He looked up and freed his other hand. “Come here please.” he asked, arm outstretched.

Hannibal nodded his head and wrapped his arms around Will’s waist, holding him again instead. 

Will held him back and put his face on top of his shoulder, breathing against his neck. He turned his head once to kiss his shoulder. As he turned back he kissed his neck. When he settled he began to cry again. He was so tired. He felt pain for Hannibal. He felt pain for Abigail. They felt pain for Abigail. 

Hannibal sighed shakily. He put his head atop Will’s, not caring if he got his hair damp. He wanted to be close to him. He rubbed his back up and down, trying to ground himself as he tried to stop crying. They laid like this until they had both stopped crying, and for a handful of minutes after that. Hannibal sighed. “Our Abigail.”

The clock on the wall read 12:15 am. Will lifted his head to kiss his chest. “Let’s go to bed”.

“Okay, mylimasis.” 

Will wouldn’t show it on his face but the pet name makes his heart light every time.

They both sat up and stood up off the couch. Will walked off to their bedroom and Hannibal trailed behind, turning off all the lights. 

In their bedroom Will just took off his jeans, donning boxers and a t-shirt. Hannibal always took longer, having a more sophisticated wardrobe. After a few minutes he turned off the light and got into bed. 

Will reached out to grab his waist.

Hannibal pulled the comforter up to their shoulders and put his arm around Will, his hand flat on his back. He pressed a kiss to his forehead. 

“I want a family.” Will said, eyes closed, not really willing to say more.

“In the morning” Hannibal responded. “Goodnight.”

They drifted off to sleep hearts full of each other and Abigail, wondering if children could ever be possible again.

**Author's Note:**

> Ty for reading! Feel free to leave constructive comments too (:
> 
> My hannibal tumblr is @psychoanalyz3d , pls give me a follow and/or suggest some fic ideas! or just to be friends!


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